The US Air Force has confirmed that the B-21 Raider will operate with two pilots as the service prepares its next-generation stealth bomber for operational use.
Air force leaders selected the crew configuration after reviewing the aircraft’s advanced capabilities and long-range strike mission requirements.
Alongside the announcement, the service is establishing a transition program that will allow select weapons system officers and combat systems officers to attend pilot training before receiving follow-on assignments to the B-21.
The initiative is intended to retain tactical and combat experience from both officer communities as it builds the workforce needed to operate the new bomber.
B-21 Moves Toward Operational Service
The crew announcement is the latest development in the US Air Force’s preparations for the B-21 Raider, which was cleared for low-rate initial production in 2024.
In May, Conti Federal Services secured a $36.3-million contract to build an aircrew debriefing and flight simulator facility at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to support the incoming stealth bomber.
Earlier, in April, the US released the first photograph showing a full overhead view of the B-21 in flight during an aerial refueling demonstration with a KC-135 Stratotanker.
In February, Northrop Grumman and the US Air Force also announced an expansion of B-21 production capacity, with final assembly continuing in Palmdale, California, and manufacturing distributed across multiple US sites.
